Shipping container



March 5 J. P. H. LEAVITT 2,671,597

SHIPPING CONTAINER Filed June 22, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR JETI'LEE F. H- LEaviTl ATTORNEYS March 1954 J. P. H. LEAVITT SHIPPING CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 22, 1949 I a I I I I u n u I WARM an an an ID II ATTOR NEY5.

Patented Mar. 9, 1954 SHIPPING CONTAINER James P. H. Leavitt, Wayne, Pa., assignor to Container Corporation of America, Chicago, 111., a

corporation of Delaware Application June 22, 1949, Serial No. 100,583

3 Claims. (01. 229-14) This invention relates to shipping containers, and has to do with containers of the telescopic type formed of paper board, such as corrugated board, solid fibre broad and similar materials.

Shipping containers of the type above referred to are known and extensively used. The known containers, in general, have exteriorly projecting elements which interfere with the ease of handling thereof and provide a possible source of injury to the container, due to such elements becoming caught on projections during handling or shipping. Further, the known containers, in many instances, are not effectively sealed against entry of dust and foreign materials, lack adequate mechanical strength, particularly in the larger sizes, have interior projections which interfere with loading thereof, are rather expensive t manufacture, have exposed fold lines at the ends which may be subjected to injury, and do not provide adequate resistance to twisting strains.

' My invention is directed to a shipping container formed of paper board, such as corrugated board, solid fibre board, or the like, which avoids the above noted objections to the known containers above referred to. The container of my invention is of simple and comparatively inexpensive construction, is free of projections both inside and outside, is effectively sealed against dust or other foreign materials, and possesses adequate mechanical strength and resistance to twisting strains. More particularly, the container of my invention comprises an open ended liner and cover sections therefor having interior closure caps with marginal flaps secured to the body portion of the respective cover sections, the parts being so related as to provide double closures for the container while assuring adequate mechanical' strength thereof and effectively guarding against injury to the otherwise vulnerable fold lines at the ends of the container. Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the detail description,

" In the drawings:

- Figure 1 is an isometric front View of a shipping container embodying m invention, in its closed and sealed condition;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the container of Figure 1, with the upper cover section removed, the upper portion of the front panel of the liner being shown in dotted lines in open position and partly broken away;

Figure 3 is an isometric exploded or disassembled front view of the container of Figure l, on a reduced scale;

Figure 4 is an isometric underneath view of the upper cover section of the container, on an enlarged scale;

Figure 5 is a sectional view, on a reduced scale, taken substantially on line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on line 66 of Figure 5;

Figure '7 is a fragmentary plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the container liner;

Figure 8 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on line 88 of Figure 1; and

Figure 9 is a sectional view, on a reduced scale, similar to Figure 8 but showing a modified form of container.

The container of my invention comprises an open ended liner Ill and two cover sections H. The liner l0 preferably is formed from a suitable blank of paper board, such as double wall corrugated paper board, appropriately scored and folded'to provide the front and back panels I2 and [3, respectively, and the side panels 14 and 15. The front panel seats at one end on the forward edge of side panel 14, to which it preferably is secured in a suitable manner, conveniently by a length of tape I6 adhesively secured to the panels [2 and M. This tape [6 terminates a substantial distance below the upper edge of panel l2 which is cut transversely at ll, to provide an upper section I8, analogous to a door, hinged at one side to side panel l5 and seating at its other side, when closed, against the forward edge of side panel [4. As will be understood, the section 18 of panel [2 constitutes a loading flap which may be swung into open position, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2, for convenience in loading the container, as will appear more fully presently. Within the broader aspects of my invention, the liner l0 may be of any suitable construction and may be provided with any suitable means analogous to the load.- ing fiap 18 for giving ready access to the liner for loading thereof.

The cover sections H are of similar construction and a description of one thereof will suffice. Each of the cover sections comprises a body por: tion 20 formed from a blank of paper board, preferably solid fibre board, suitably scored and folded to provide the front and back panels 2| and 22, respectively, and the side panels 23 and 24. The front panel 2! is provided, along one edge, with a securing flap 25. This flap 25 is disposed at the inner face of panel 2d in overlapping rela; tion thereto, and is secured to the corresponding portion of panel 24 in a suitable manner, conveniently by stitching with a stapling machine. The outer end of body 29 of cover section I! is closed by a cap 26 fitting therein. This cap 26 is formed from a blank of paper board, which preferably is the same type of double wall corrugated paper board used to form the liner It, the blank being suitably cut, scored and folded to provide an end closure panel 27 and marginal attaching fiaps 28 extending from panel 2'! inwardly of body portion 20. The cap 26 fits snugly within body portion 20, as shown more clearly in Figures 5 and 8, with the flaps 28 seating against panels 2 I, 22, 23, and 24 of body portion 28 and secured thereto in a suitable manner, conveniently by stitching with a staplin machine. When the cap 26 is formed of the same material as the liner l0, both are of the same wall thickness, as clearly illustrated in Figures 6 and 7. The upper or outer face of panel 21 of cap 26 preferably is disposed in the plane of the outer or upper end of body portion of cover section H, the panels of which guard against injury the fold lines between the flaps 2'3 and panel 21 of cap 25. That is of importance, since the material of the cap is of reduced thickness along those fold lines, due to scoring thereof, and such fold lines, if exposed might become damaged and allow possible injury to the contents of the container. The solid fibre board of which the body portion 28 of cover section H preferably is formed is relatively hard and stiff and provides efiicient means for guarding the fold lines of the cap in the manner stated.

In the modified form of container shown in Figure 9, the cover sections H are constructed similarly to the cover section above described, except that the closure cap 26a is provided with attaching flaps 28a extending inward from the closure panel 21a, the flaps 2811 being inwardly offset at 28b and having an extension 280 spaced from the corresponding panel of the body portion 211 of cover section II. The extensions 28c provide fillers for spacing an article within the container from the surroundin walls thereof, as will be explained more fully presently.

In using the container of Figures 1 to 8, inclusive, the liner I0 is inserted into the lower cover section II, in which it fits snugly, with its lower end seating on the upper edges of the attaching fiaps 28 of cap 25. The length or height of the cover section Ii is such that, with the liner [0 positioned therein as stated, it extends upward along the liner for about one-half the height thereof, terminating at or below the cut I l. The upper section [8 of front panel 12 may then be swung to open position for convenience in loading the liner. After the liner has been completely loaded and panel section [8 closed, the upper cover section I! is moved downward over the liner into seating contact with the upper end of the lower cdver section. In that position of the upper cover section, the attaching flaps 28 of cap 26 thereof seat upon the upper end of liner ID, as shown more clearly in Figure 8. The two cover sections are then secured together at their seating edges in a suitable manner, conveniently by tape 30 extending 'thereabout, bridging the joint therebetween and adhesively secured thereto. The completely closed and sealed container appears as in Figure 1.

It will be seen that the cover sections provide a closure for the container at their contacting ends, and the attaching flaps 28 of caps 26 of the cover sections ll disposed in abutting relation to the ends of the liner, provide two further closures for the container. The container is thus provided with triple closures and is highly efficient in excluding dust and foreign materials such as might otherwise enter the container and prove injurious to the contents thereof. As previously noted, the wall thickness of the attaching flaps 28 is substantially, preferably the same, as that of the liner, and the corrugations of two of the flaps 23 of each of the cover sections are disposed vertically, as are the corrugations of the walls or panels of the liner ID. That renders the container capable of withstanding considerable compressive loads, which is conducive to high mechanical strength. Further, by disposing the caps 26 of the respective cover sections H within the body portions 26 thereof, the caps are utilized to best advantage for resisting twisting of the cover sections, so that the container as a whole presents greater resistance to twisting strains than would be the case were the caps 26 otherwise disposed.

It will be understood that the container of Figures 1 to 8, inclusive, may be used for shipping single articles as well as a plurality of articles. It will be noted that the attaching flaps 28 of caps 26 of the cover sections ll do not extend inwardly beyond the liner i0. Accordingly, the container is provided with continuous and smooth interior surfaces, being free of all-projections interiorly, which facilitates loading thereof. Likewise, the container is free of exterior projections such as would interfere with handling thereof or might result in injury thereto.

In shipping single articles, such as radio cabinets, refrigerators, or articles of like character, it is often desirable to space the article away from the surrounding walls of the container, as a further safeguard against possible injury to the article during handling or while in transit. In Figure 9 I have shown an article a, which may be, for example, a refrigerator or a radio cabinet, positioned within the container. The extensions 28c of flaps 28a extending from panels 27a of the caps 28a of the cover sections, provide spacing elements for spacing the article a .from the surrounding wall of the container. By providing the extensions 280, I avoid the necessity for providing separately formed fillers or spacers, as is done at present, while assuring that the desired spacers will at all times be available when desired or necessary. In the container of Figure 9, the offsets 28b of the attaching flaps 2811 provide shoulders which are disposed in abutting relation to the ends of the liner if), as and for the reasons previously described in connection with the container shown in Figures 1 to 8. inelusive.

Within the broader concept of my invention, the liner and cover sections of the container may be formed of any appropriate material analogous to paper board, using that term in its generic sense, and may be of any appropriate wall thickness. It will be understood that changes in detail may be resorted to without departing from the field and scope of my invention, and I intend to include all such variations, as fall within the scope of the appended claims, in this application in which the preferred forms only of my invention have been disclosed.

I claim:

1. In a shipping container, a tubular paper board liner closed at one end and open at its other end, and a paper board end cover section open at its inner end and fitting over and about said liner exteriorly and from said other 'end thereof, said cover section comprising a body portion and a cap fitting in the outer end of said body portion, said cap having marginal flaps extending therefrom inward of and secured to said body portion, said flaps having surfaces disposed in abutting relation to the adjacent end of said liner and being provided with extensions projecting into the ends of the liner at the inner face thereof for spacing therefrom an article therein.

2. In a paper board shipping container, an open ended liner of substantially rectangular cross section, and end cover sections of substantially rectangular cross section fitting over the ends of said liner, each of said cover sections comprising a body portion and a closure cap fitting within the end of said body portion and having marginal flaps seating against and extending inwardly along the inner faces of the Walls of said body portion, the height of said line being equal to the combined heights of said cover sections from the inner ends thereof to the inner edges of said flaps, said flaps seating on the ends of said liner providing end extensions thereof and in cooperation therewith resisting endwise compression of said container, the inner ends of said cover sections seating one on the other and said cover sections supplementing said liner and flaps in resisting endwise compression of said container.

3. In a paper board shipping container, an open ended liner of substantially rectangular cross section, and end cover sections of substantially rectangular cross section fitting over the ends of said liner, each of said cover sections comprising a body portion and a closure cap fitting within the end of said body ortion and having marginal flaps seating against and extending inwardly along the inner faces of the walls of said body portion, the height of said liner being equal to the combined heights of said cover sections from the inner ends thereof to the inner edges of said flaps, said flaps being of substantially the same wall thickness as said liner and seating on the ends of the latter providing end extensions thereof and in cooperation therewith resisting endwise compression of said container, the inner ends of said cover sections seating one on the other and said cover sections supplementing said liner and flaps in resisting endwise compression of said container.

JAMES P. H. LEAVITT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 371,925 Craw Oct. 25, 1887 1,034,878 Connolly Aug. 6, 1912 1,794,821 Andrews Mar. 3, 1931 1,911,339 Andrews May 30, 1933 2,447,677 Williams Aug. 24, 1948 2,453,614 Belsinger Nov. 9, 1948 2,536,442 Guyer Jan. 2, 1951 

